A tutor plays an important role in the successful journey for many students. Therefore, a tutor’s character and effectiveness are important issues to consider. As you read this blog, think about the adjectives I have chosen to describe the character of an effective tutor and decide if you agree. The first adjective I would use to describe a tutor is “trustworthy”. The word “trustworthy” is defined: “to be able to be relied on and honest and truthful”. To be effective as a tutor, one must have a trustworthy reputation; always fulfilling his/her duties as promised to the parent. To be considered a trustworthy tutor, the tutor must be transparent with the service he/she will provide during the tutoring sessions, and how he/she believes the student is progressing. An effective tutor is always honest when communicating with the parent and/or student.

“Understanding” is the second adjective I would select to describe the character of an effective tutor. When working with a student, an effective tutor is understanding of the student’s feelings and empathizes with a struggling student. If there is a “gap” in the student’s learning, the student may have issues with confidence. An effective tutor must convey genuine understanding and provide academic and emotional support.

The next adjective is “team-player”. There is no “I” in the word team-player. Thus, an effective tutor realizes that the team consists of the parent, the student and the tutor. The tutor will keep the parent and student informed of all ideas, plans, and strategies that will affect the success of the team. An effective tutor is the type of individual who believes he/she is only successful if the student is successful and the parent is happy with the student’s progress.

The fourth adjective I would use to describe the character of an effective tutor is “organized”. Organization is an absolute must for a tutor to be effective. A tutor only has a specific amount of time to work with a student. It may be 30 minutes to an hour on a weekly basis so there is absolutely NO time to waste. An effective tutor will have the lesson planned and prepared based on the student’s needs. Therefore, when the session begins, teaching begins.

“Resourceful” is the last adjective I would use to describe an effective tutor. The word resourceful is defined: “to be able to meet situations, capable of devising ways and means”. An effective tutor, like any classroom teacher, knows that the tutoring session will not always go as planned for various reasons. Once the tutor begins the lesson, he/she may realize that a change is needed to better present the content to the student. A resourceful tutor has a plethora of tools in his/her teacher toolbox; therefore always ready to make the needed change and still provide a wonderful tutoring session.

So, if character and effectiveness are important when choosing a tutor for your child, what adjectives do you hope someone will use when describing the tutor you have chosen for your child?